David Littleproud

LEADER of The Nationals David Littleproud is calling on Labor to rule out nature positive legislation once and for all.

Mr Littleproud said the Prime Minister must be upfront with the Australian people, after claims a Federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) could still be delivered after the federal election.

“Labor still wants to bring in the Federal EPA, they’ll just wait until after the next federal election,” Mr Littleproud said.

“Last week, Labor rammed through legislation after legislation but despite its nature positive legislation falling over, it still hasn’t ruled it out completely.

“However there is still confusion about this legislation and Labor must admit that it is still planning to implement its Nature Positive Bills, if it wins a second term.

“Labor doesn’t want to say the EPA is dead but the Prime Minister reportedly folded to the Labor-led mining interests in Western Australia.

“Of course, with the state Western Australia election due most likely before the federal election, the Prime Minister is no doubt concerned about what this legislation means for the state of WA and how it might impact the WA state election, as well as the federal election.

“Labor’s proposed Federal EPA is simply a bureaucracy on top of broken environmental laws that will only increase confusion and red tape, making it harder to get government approval for a project, while not guaranteeing any improved environmental outcomes.

“The reforms the former Coalition Government put in place was around streamlining, allowing the states to get on with those approvals and simply making sure that they ticked all the boxes and get on with the approval, rather than putting in more layers of bureaucracy.”

Source: David Littleproud